ABS Texture! Panel with Top Curl Experts was a Huge Success

More From ABS 2011

America’s Beauty Show was underway and thousands of stylist and salon owners gather to expand their knowledge, see top stylist and enjoy the entire “show” experience. Sunday March 13th was a huge day at ABS as it was the second annual “Texture” programming.

Texture! returned to ABS this year! This one-of-a kind free event showcased leading texture experts and educators in an intimate, interactive forum which included live hair demos. Texture! was hosted by NaturallyCurly.com founder Michelle Breyer and Modern Salon’s Editor-in-Chief Laurel Nelson, highlights of the event included:

Attendees were able to meet and greet the leading texture educators and brand leaders. The panel included the following:

John Benedetto, Director of Education for GK Hair: John has over 25 years of experience in the salon industry. In his prior role as Aveda’s Director of Global Hair Color Education, John was instrumental in creating Aveda’s Brands of Full Spectrum Hair Color and creating techniques for Aveda Collections at Video and Photo Shoots.

Shari Harbinger, “The Go To Curl Girl”: In her double-duty role as Director of Education for DevaConcepts and Color Director for Devachan Salon and Departure Lounge, Shari has both a loyal group of clients that rely on her for shiny, vibrant shades that are as modern as they are beautiful, and an enormous following in the salon industry for her eponymous training sessions.

Ouidad, the “Queen of Curl”: She is an internationally recognized stylist, salon owner mother, author and global educator. In 1984, as the pioneer of the curly hair industry, she opened the first salon in the country to cater exclusively to curly hair. Since then her trademarked cutting and styling techniques and specialized line of award winning products, have instilled confidence in curly and wavy haired people everywhere.

Anthony Dickey: He has spent the better part of his styling career—both on set and in the salon—trying to dispel the myth among women with kinky, curly and wavy hair that their texture is problematic or unruly. Touted as a “Style Svengali” by the New York Times, Dickey has mastered the mystery of textured hair to create iconic hair styles for designers, advertisers, photographers and celebrities alike.

Veronique Morrison: As Director of Education for MIZANI, a division of L’Oreal, USA, Veronique creates and manages the production of all technical curriculum, training programs, and creative trend presentations for a national salon audience.

Erica Grabczyk: American Crew’s International All-Star Erica Grabczyk certainly knows how to talk and cut men’s hair at the same time. She swiftly became the Director of Education at Groom Salon in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, specializing in male-specific design. Erica is top-rated in the City of Milwaukee for men’s hair (Milwaukee Magazine), having worked at Groom since 1999 as both a Lead and now Master Stylist. She trains nationally and internationally as an American Crew International All-Star Educator.

Ana Daniel, Artistic Director & Educator for Ouidad: This Dominican Republic native has spent several years working with Ouidad and loves ensuring that her clients not only have a style they love but also have the information they need to care for their curls at home. Ana’s work has appeared on the pages of many magazines and on the heads of numerous celebrities.

Begin having frequent staff meetings and collaborate on business building techniques used by others that you work with. Every salon has success right inside. Get the top booker to explain how they do it. Pair the weakest with the strongest and let them work next to each other. They can learn from what they hear and see. Do the same with retail sales. Share the ways that the top stay on top.

With cross marketing other services, know who the salon leaders are and copy them. Your staff becomes a resource to each other and by sharing dialouge that works, we all win.